The headstones are against the wall on the east, under the trees (right). This church was built in 1823, the single storey porch, which is across the whole width is fairly modern. There was an earlier church here, built 1805.

TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM BEECHINGWHO DIED RESTING ON CHRIST JAN 15th 1876 IN HIS 70th YEAR OF HIS AGE FOR ABOVE 50 YEARS HE HAD BEEN A CONSISTENT MEMBER AND A FAITHFUL LOCAL PREACHER OF THE WESLEYAN METHODIST SOCIETY "Thy Statutes have been my ? in the House of his Pilgrimage" ALSO OF RICHARD BEECHING BROTHER OF THE ABOVE BORN MARCH 7th 1805 DIED SEP 12th 1880 50 YEARS LOCAL PREACHER 48 YEARS SUPERINTENDENT OF SUNDAY SCHOOL "O Thou that Dwellest Between the Cherubins Shine Forth"

WILLIAM BEECHING, 1871 CENSUS, BOOTMAKER. RICHARD BEECHING, 1839 PIGOT DIRECTORY, BOOT AND SHOE MAKER, 1871 CENSUS, MASTER CORDWAINER AND LOCAL PREACHER. THESE BEECHINGS ARE SAID TO BE RELATIONS OF DR. RICHARD BEECHING OF THE "BEECHING AXE", CUTTING (NOW SEEN AS A MISCALCULATION), OF RAILWAY LINES IN THE EARLY 1960'S. DR BEECHING CERTAINLY WENT TO SCHOOL IN MAIDSTONE.

4. MARBLLE TABLET

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVD. JOHN BRYANTWHO DIED IN THE CITY OF EXETER JULY 31st 1825 AGED 45 YEARS "He was a Man of Unaffected Piety, Powerful Intellect, Extensive Theological Knowledge, Inflexable Integrity, Sauvity of Disposition, And Profound Humility combined with Distinguished Ministerial Talents, Which he Diligently and Sucessfully Employed, 16 years in the Wesleyan Connection And Finished his Itinerant Labours in Maidstone June 1st 1825" This Tablet was Erected by the Society in Veneration Of his Character and Regret for their Loss.

TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF THOMAS SMITHWHO DIED ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 5th 1879 AGED 59 YEARS AFTER A LIFELONG CONNECTION WITH THE WESLEYAN METHODIST SOCIETY IN THIS PLACE HAVING DISCHARGED FAITHFULLY THE DUTIES OF IT'S VARIOUS OFFICES , MANY OF WHICH HE HELD UP TO THE TIME OF HIS DEATH. "God is our Refuge and Strength" ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF MARIANE WIDOW OF THE ABOVE THOMAS SMITH WHO ENTERED INTO REST ON MONDAY MARCH 10th 1913 IN HER 89th YEAR "Thou, O Christ, art all I Want"

9. STAINED GLASS WINDOW

IN MEMORY OF CHARLES LEAVER SMITH DIED NOVEMBER 2nd 1920

IN MEMORY OF FRANK LEAVER SMITH KILLED IN ACTION AUGUST 1916

1911 CENSUS, CHARLES, A GROCER

10. MARBLE TABLET

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MR THOMAS STANDENWHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 25th NOVEMBER 1864 AGED 72 YEARS HE HAD BEEN AN ACTIVE TRUSTEE OF THIS CHAPEL AND A ZEALOUS MEMBER OF THE WESLEYAN CHURCH 50 YEARS

ALSO FANNY WIFE OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED THE 11th JULY 1858 AGED 73 YEARS ALSO LOUISA ELDEST DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED THE 16th JAN 1855 AGED 32 YEARS ALSO ELIZABETH DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE THOMAS & FANNY STANDEN WHO DIED THE 30th AUGUST 1886 AGED 59 YEARS "They Died in Christ"

1839 PIGOT DIRECTORY, PROBABLY THE GROCER AND TEA DEALER; 1861 CENSUS, GENTLEMAN THERE ARE TWO THOMAS STANDENS LISTED IN 1839, THE OTHER A BOOTMAKER.

11. BRASS PLAQUE

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN SACRED MEMORY OF ELIZABETH TEBBUTTWHO PASSED TO THE HOMELAND ON 14th JULY 1929 AGED 73 YEARS SHE WAS FOR FIFTY FIVE YEARS A DEVOTED MEMBER OF THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH AND DURING HER LIFE MANNIFESTED THE GRACES OF ANOBLE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH. WE THANK GOD UPON EVERY REMEMBRANCE OF HER

SMALL BRASS PLAQUE BELOW ABOVE

THE TRUSTEES RECORD WITH GRATITUDE THAT THE GATES AND RAILINGS AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE WERE ERECTED WITH A LEGACY TO THIS CHURCH BY CHARLES W, TEBBUTTA BROTHER BELOVED 1877 – 1954

1911 CENSUS, ELIZABETH TEBBUTT WAS THE WIFE OF ELI, A BOOTMAKER.

12. STAINED GLASS WIDOW

IN MEMORY OF EDWARD WRAITH DIED JAN 2nd 1896 AGED 79 YEARS

1881 CENSUS, GROCER ON GABRIEL'S HILL

13. STAINED GLASS WINDOW

IN MEMORY OF EDWARD HENRY WRAITH DIED OCTOBER 29th 1905 AGED 48 YEARS

1881 CENSUS, GROCER, SON OF THE ABOVE

CHURCHYARD (MOST OF THESE HEADSTONES ARE SOMEWHAT WORN, SOME BADLY, HOWEVER WITH THE APPLICATION OF CHALK I WAS ABLE TO READ, WITH GAPS, MOST OF THE FAINTEST)

14. HEADSTONE

IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF HARRIET THE BELOVED WIFE OF GEORGE BALDWINWHO DIED NOVEMBER 9th 1872 AGED 57 YEARS "Her End was Peace" ALSO THE ABOVE GEORGE BALDWIN WHO DIED JANUARY 18th? 1873 ? AGED 60? YEARS "Not Lost but Gone Before" ALSO OF GEORGE BALDWIN SON OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED JULY 7th 1897 AGED 50 YEARS

1871 CENSUS, GEORGE SNR. HOUSE AGENT; GEORGE JNR. CLERK IN GAS WORKS.

15. HEADSTONE

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH BENSTEDOF THIS PARISH WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 30th DECEMBER 18[3]0 AGED [ ] YEARS ALSO OF HENRY FILEY? SMITHWHO DIED AT LOOSE THE 12th OF JULY 1837? AGED 5? MONTHS

1826 PIGOT DIRECTORY, WILLIAM AND JOSEPH BENSTED, WHARFINGERS AND WATER CONVEYANCERS.

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN BLACKSTOCKA [NATIVE?] OF D[ ] SCOTLAND WHO DIED AT MAIDSTONE FEBRUARY 10th? 1835 AGED [ ] YEARS

18. LEDGER?

BENEATH THIS STONE LIE THE REMAINS OF EMILY CAMILIA THIRD DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM & ANN PLATERAND WIFE OF JOHN GOODOF THIS TOWN WAS BORN THE 10th OF JULY 1829 DIED THE 25th OF OCTOBER 1850 ALSO OF ANN WIFE OF WILLIAM PLATER WHO DIED NOV 22nd 1850 [AGED 52 YEARS]

1881 CENSUS, JOHN GOOD OF BRUNSWICK STREET, BREWER'S CLERK

19. HEADSTONE

[ ] EMMA THE BELOVED WIFE OF JAMES GRAY[OF THIS PARISH ?] WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE [ 1860] [AGED 23 or 24 YEARS]

20. HEADSTONE

IN MEMORY OF JOHN LADBROOK[ ] [ 1826] [ ]

PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY WILL DATED 18th APRIL 1826JOHN LADBROOK, PATTEN MAKER HE "HUMBLY DESIRES" THAT JAMES STANGER, STEPHEN LINK HAZELL AND THOMAS STANDEN WILL BE HIS EXECUTORS. AT THE TIME THEY JUDGE BEST, THEY TO SELL HIS PATTEN BUSINESS AND THE "LITTLE STOCK" CONNECTED WITH HIS GROCERY BUSINESS. THE PROCEEDS, AFTER HIS DEBTS ARE PAID, TO BE SHARED EQUALLY BETWEEN HIS FOUR DAUGHTERS, MARTHA, ELIZABETH, MARY AND HANNAH. DAUGHTER MARY HAS A "PECULIAR" DISABILITY, SO SHE IS TO HAVE £20 PRIOR TO THE SHARING OUT OF THE MONEY. HE HOPES HIS DAUGHTERS WILL CARE FOR THE "POOR ORPHAN", SARAH HEAD DURING HER MINORITY. SARAH AND HER SISTER, ANN COTTERILL HEAD TO HAVE £10 EACH WHEN HIS EXECUTORS WILL THINK IT MOST USEFUL FOR THEM. IF THEY BOTH DIE, THEIR LEGACIES WILL GO TO HIS FOUR DAUGHTERS. HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE AND ALL UTENSILS, HIS CLOTHES, LINEN, BOOKS, PLATE TO BE EQUALLY SHARED BY HIS DAUGHTERS. WITNESSES: JOHN LITTLE TANNTON AND THOMAS SUTTON. PROVED 26th JUNE 1826

A FILIAL MEMORIAL TO THE REVD. GEORGE HAMBLY ROWEWHO HAVING IRREPROACHABLY DISCHARGED THE DUTIES OF A WESLEYAN MINISTER NEARLY 42 YEARS DEPARTED THIS LIFE MARCH THE 4th 1850 IN THE 64th YEAR OF HIS AGE AND WAS INTERRED IN FRONT OF THIS CHAPEL "At Eve his Summons came, He started up to Hear, The Mortal Arrow Pierced his Frame, He Fell? ? but [felt?] no Fear"

24. HEADSTONE

IN MEMORY OF BETHANIA RUCKWIFE OF JOSHUA RUCK OF THIS PARISH WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 26th OF OCTOBER 1833 AGED 36 YEARS "Hark [ ] the Sky, Happy are the Faithful Dead, In the Lord who Sweetly Die, They from all[ ]"

1826 PIGOT DIRECTORY, JOSLHUA RUCK, PAWNBROKER.

25. HEADSTONE

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN SHADGETTOF THIS PARISH WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE APRIL 16th 1821 AGED 44? YEARS LEFT ISSUE 2 SONS AND 1 DAUGHTER JOSEPH, BENJAMIN AND FANNY ALSO THE ABOVE BENJAMIN SHADGETT WHO DIED JAN 21st 1841 AGED 34 YEARS ALSO FANNY WIFE OF JOHN SHADGETT WHO DIED JAN 18th 1841 AGED 70? YEARS ALSO EDWARD HENRY HER SON WHO DIED SEPT [ ] 1854 AGED 62 YEARS

PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY WILL , NOT DATED (IN FULL) JOHN SHADGETT, CARRIER OF MAIDSTONE. "THIS IS MY WILL THE HOLE OF MY PROPERTY FOR MY WIFE AS LONG AS SHE LIVES EXCEPT SHE SHALL MARY AGANE THEN TO COME TO MY CHILDREN BUT IF SHE SHALL BEE SINGLE TO ENJOY IT TO HER END THE HOLE AFTER THAT SEAGER'S HOUSE TO COME TO JOSEPH AND CUTLER'S HOUSE AND FIELD TO BENJAMIN AND BOOTH'S HOUSE TO FAINNY MY STOCK AND TRADE TO BE PARTED FROM TO BE ADVISER TO LET ANY STEDY PERSON WILL FIND ANSWER RGEIR? PURPOSES MY STOCK AND TRADE IS WORTH TO ANY MAN £500 POUNDS AND THE MONEY TO BE PUT TO USE OR APIECE OF LAND BOUGHT TO BILD SUM COTEGE BILT ONE ALL THE BOOK DEBTS TO BE GOT IN AMEDELEY AND THERE IS MORE THAN A NUF TO SHARES I SHOU;D LIKE THE BOYS TO BE PUT PRENTES TO TRADE THAT THEY SHOULD LIKE AND THARE MOTHER TO SIST THEM IN DISON MANNER BUT NOTHER MORE THAN BECOME DISON." NOT SIGNED, NO WITNESSES.

AFFIDAVIT 21st NOVEMBER 1821 FANNY, HIS WIDOW, JOHN HENTY OF MAIDSTONE, SHOE MAKER AND SARAH DAVIS OF THREE TUNS COURT, SOUTHWARK, SPINSTER, ARE SWORN. HENTY WAS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH SHADGETT AND IS FAMILIAR WITH HIS MANNER OF SPELLING AND HANDWRITING. HE STATED THAT SHADGETT HAD TOLD HIM HOW HE WANTED HIS PROPERTY TO BE DISBURSED AND THAT HIS WILL FOLLOWS THE SAME ORDER. HE SAW SHADGETT WRITING THE WILL AT A BUREAU AND BELIEVES THE WILL HE HAS EXAMINED ID THE SAME DOCUMENT. HENTY FOUND THE WILL IN THE SAME BUREAU, NO OTHER WILL WAS FOUND. SARAH DAVIS WAS ALSO WELL ACQUAINTED WITH SHADGETT AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH HIS SPELLING AND HANDWRITING, SHE HAS CAREFULLY EXAMINED THE WILL AND DECLARES IT TO BE IN SHADGETT'S HAND. WIDOW FANNY HAS SEARCH HER HUSBAND'S PAPERS BUT FOUND NO OTHER WILL. SHE STATES HER CHILDREN ARE MINORS, JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN ARE 14, UPWARDS AND FANNY IS 11, UPWARDS. FANNY SIGNS THE AFFIDAVIT WITH HER MARK. PROVED 5th DECEMBER 1821

IN PIGOT'S 1826 DIRECTORY JOHN'S WIDOW FANNY SHADGETT IS CARRYING ON THE BUSINESS AS A CARRIER FROM MAIDSTONE TO LONDON, BASED AT WEEK STREET.

SMITH SEE BENSTED

26. HEADSTONE

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JABEZ WILLIAM STEVENSONOF THIS PARISH WHO DIED [ ] OCTOBER 1827 [ ] [ ]

27. HEADSTONE

IN MEMORY OF ELIZABETH TAPLINLATE OF BLOCKLEY WORCESTERSHIRE DIED FEB 3rd 1845 AGED 69 YEARS ALSO TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN MARTENLATE OF CANTERBURY [ ] [ ]

28. HEADSTONE

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM TELFEROF LANGHOLME IN THE COUNTY OF DUMFRIESHIRE SCOTLAND WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 27th? OF AUGUST 1830 AGED 26 YEARS

29. HEADSTONE

IN MEMORY OF CHARLES WEBBWHO DIED JUNE 29th? 1846 AGED 49 YEARS LEAVING A WIDOW AND 3? CHILDREN ALSO RICHARD HENRY SON OF CHARLES AND SARAH WEBB WHO DIED FEB 9th? 1838 AGED 2 YEARS & 3 MONTHS

30. HEADSTONE

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF SARAH WHEATLEYOF THIS PARISH WHO DIED THE 6th OF FEBRUARY 1830 AGED 78 YEARS ALSO OF JOHN WHEATLEY GRANDSON OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED NOV 30th 1851 IN THE 43rd YEAR OF HIS AGE ALSO WILLIAM WHEATLEY SON OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED MARCH 8th 1855 AGED 62 YEARS

PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY WILL DATED 19th APRIL 1844JOHN WHEATLEY OF THE FOUNTAIN INN, MAIDSTONE, VICTUALLER AND TAILOR. HE WISHES TO BE BURIED IN A PLAIN AND INEXPENSIVE MANNER. DEBTS, FUNERAL AND PROBATE COSTS FIRST PAID. RESIDUE OF REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE TO WIFE SOPHIA, ABSOLUTELY. BUT IF HIS WIFE DIES IN HIS LIFETIME, THEN HIS ESTATE TO HER TWO CHILDREN BY HER FORMER HUSBAND SAMUEL SOAMES, THAT IS, EDWARD AND LAURA , EQUALLY SHARED, SUBJECT TO PAYMENT OF HIS DEBTS, ETC. HIS WIFE AND WILLIAM LOGAN OF HIGH STREET, MAIDSTONE, BAKER ARE EXECUTORS. WITNESSES: SAMUEL VIGOR, 64 KING STREET, MAIDSTONE, TAILOR AND JOHN HARRIS OF BANK STREET, TAILOR.

AFFIDAVIT 24th APRIL 1852 JOHN HARRIS IS SWORN AND STATES THAT WHEATLEY SIGNED THE WILL IN HIS AND VIGOR'S PRESENCE AND THAT THEY BOTH WITNESSED THE WILL IN WHEATLEY'S AND EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE. PROVED 28thL APRIL 1852

31. HEADSTONE

IN MEMORY OF JOHN WILESWHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE AUGUST? 9Th 1850 AGED 52 YEARS ALSO H[ARRIE]TT HIS WIFE [WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE [ ] 1873 AGED [69] YEARS

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